The first instalment of a super-expensive adaptation of Naoki Urasawa’s cult manga series tells the weird-cute tale of a group of children whose apocalyptic fantasies inadvertently fuel a madman’s career, thus forcing the now-grown gang, led by a disillusioned, ageing slacker (Toshiaki Karasawa), to save the world.
The film is way too long and disturbingly in thrall to all things Western (the T-Rex title says it all) but thanks to the beautifully freaky child actors, plenty of topical ideas and a killer robot, you may decide resistance is futile.
Look out for the androgynous soft-metal band who sing the praises of a mysterious cult leader to the delight of their zombie-like fans. Aerosmith gigs will never seem quite the same again.
Twentieth Century Boys
